Sound device for roller skates



Fe. 7, 1987 c. A. ELWELL 3,302,954

SOUND DEVICE FOR ROLLER SKATES Filed Sept. 30, 1,964

(6 14/9155 A). ZWfZZ INVENTOR.

United States. Patent 3,302,954 SOUND DEVICE FOR ROLLER SKATES Charles A. Elwell, Gardena, Calif., assignor to The Toy Development Center, Inc., Beverly Hills, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Sept. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 400,314 Claims. (Cl. 28011.19)

This invention relates to sound-producing devices and has particular reference to a sound-producing device for installation in a vehicle wheel or roller, such as in roller skates.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel sound-producing device for incorporation in roller skates and other wheeled vehicles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel sound-producing device adapted to be incorporated in a single roller of a roller skate, the device being of simple and rugged construction and yet capable of producing a unique sound of particular appeal to children.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a skate wheel noise-maker operable in use of the skate without substantially impeding the free rotation of the roller.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a roller skate embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the skate roller, looking in the direction of the arrow of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the sound-making assembly of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially 0n the line 66 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings, the sound-producing device of the present invention is shown as incorporated in a conventional roller skate having a heel plate member 10, a toe plate member 11, a base member 12, toe clamp elements 13 and rollers 14 and 15.

The sound-producing mechanism of the present invention is incorporated in the single roller 15, although it may be included in one or more of the other rollers 14, if desired. Referring to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the roller 15 preferably includes a tire portion 16, a wheel portion 17 and a tire retainer disc 18, the roller being suitably journalled upon a ball bearing assembly 19 having ball bearings 20 and secured to a roller support bracket 22 by means of the threaded axle member 23.

The wheel 17 is provided with a central recess 30 partially enclosed by means of a wheel cover member 31, the cover member being provided with a plurality of openings 33 and 34. A sound-producing diaphragm 40 extends across the opening 30 and is retained in position by means of the flange 41 on the wheel cover member 31, which is connected to the wheel by means of the screw members 42. A stylus 50, which as shown may comprise a single length of relatively stiff wire, is provided, one end thereof being embedded in the wheel 17, the other end being attached to the diaphragm 40 by means of a rivet 51, this latter end 52 of the stylus being formed into a circle, as best seen in FIGURE 4 for retention by the rivet, which extends through a central opening 55 in the diaphragm.

3,302,954 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 A stationary disc 60 is secured to the ball bearing as sembly 19 by means of the screw member 61, the disc 60 having a serrated or roughened outer surface 62. Preferably, as shown in FIGURE 4, only a portion of the surface of the disc is serrated, the other portion 63 being relatively smooth.

The central portion of the stylus 50 extends substantially perpendicularly away from the diaphragm 40 and is provided with a curved portion 65 which contacts the surface of the disc 60 and is maintained in contact therewith by means of the inherent resiliency in the stylus 50 and the diaphragm 40.

In operation of the roller skate, the roller 15 of course rotates with respect to the ball bearing assembly 19, and the stylus and diaphragm rotate along with the roller, the stylus thus being rapidly moved around the surface of the stationary serrated disc 60. The stylus is also causedto rapidly reciprocate in the radial direction as it conforms to the irregularities of the serrations 62 and the diaphragm is in turn oscillated to produce the desired sound which emanates through the openings 33 and 34 of the wheel cover member 31. The sound thus produced is impossible to describe and must be heard to be fully appreciated, but it has been found that the sound is particularly satisfying to the user of the roller skates, particularly children. It has been further found that an adequate noise is produced by use of a fully-serrated disc, but that an apparently improved sound is produced by the provision of the smooth portion 63.

The modified form of the device shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 is generally similar to that described above, including a roller 15a, a wheel 17a, a wheel cover 31a having openings 33a, a diaphragm 40a, stylus 50a and serrated disc 60a. However, in this embodiment means are provided for rotating the disc 60a in a direction opposite to that of the roller, and as shown in the drawings, these means include a gear formed on the wall of the recess 30a, a pinion 71 mounted on a stationary stub shaft 72, and a gear 73 integral with the disc 60a. The disc 60a is journalled on a shaft 80, the shaft also being stationary and being secured, as is the stub shaft 72, to a stationary plate member 81 which is secured to the ball bearing race assembly by means of the threaded element 85.

The operation of the device of FIGURES 5 and 6 is the same as that described above in connection with the device of FIGURE 2-4, except that here the serrated disc 60a rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the roller 15a and hence also in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the stylus 50a, so that the relative speed of travel of the stylus across the face of the serrated disc is multiplied, producing a sound of higher pitch.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a roller skate, a roller rotatably mounted on a non-rotatable portion of said skate, said roller having a central recess therein, a diaphragm extending across and covering said recess, said diaphragm being connected to said roller for rotation therewith, a stylus connected to said diaphragm for rotation with said wheel, and a nonrotatable member connected to said non-rotatable portion, said member having a roughened surface, a potion of said stylus being engaged with said roughened surface whereby said stylus moves across said roughened surface to cause sound-producing oscillations of said diaphragm upon rotation of said roller.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said roughened surface is in the form of interrupted serrations.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein an apertured wheel cover member is positioned over said diaphragm.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said stylus comprises a single length of wire connected at one end to the central portion of said diaphragm and at the other end to a portion of said roller, the portion of said stylus intermediate said ends being bent into a curved portion which contacts said roughened surface.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein means are provided for rotating said member in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said wheel.

10 BENJAMIN HERSH,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Fougereau.

Dupuis 280-11.l9 Hooks 28011.19 Kusnarowis 280-11.37 X Countryman et al. 46175 Bruno 3015.7 X

Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner. 

1. IN A ROLLER SKATE, A ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON A NON-ROTATABLE PORTION OF SAID SKATE, SAID ROLLER HAVING A CENTRAL RECESS THEREIN, A DIAPHRAGM EXTENDING ACROSS AND COVERING SAID RECESS, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING CONNECTED TO SAID ROLLER FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A STYLUS CONNECTED TO SAID DIAPHRAGM FOR ROTATION WITH SAID WHEEL, AND A NONROTATABLE MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID NON-ROTATABLE PORTION, SAID MEMBER HAVING A ROUGHENED SURFACE, A POTION OF SAID STYLUS BEING ENGAGED WITH SAID ROUGHENED SURFACE WHEREBY SAID STYLUS MOVES ACROSS SAID ROUGHENED SURFACE TO CAUSE SOUND-PRODUCING OSCILLATIONS OF SAID DIAPHRAGM UPON ROTATION OF SAID ROLLER. 